Saranac at Laingsburg – – First Game of Baseball Doubleheader – – The Bleacher Denizen – – April 18, 2024 – – by Chuck Krafft
Today, your Bleacher Denizen is off to Laingsburg to watch a CMAC Baseball doubleheader between the Laingsburg Wolfpack and the Saranac Red Hawks. It’s about 60 out, but at least it’s not raining and there are no tornado warnings (unlike yesterday.)
Here are the starting lineups. Saranac is the visiting team and will bat first.
SARANAC
Logan Haller c
Sam Sterzick cf
Warren Hill p
Grady Proctor 3b
Max Olsen ss
Larcon McKibben 1b
Colton Goff lf
Tyler Elliot rf
LAINGSBURG
Dom Garcia cf
Emilio Garcia 1b
Ty Randall ss
Elliott Wilsey rf
R.J. Garcia 3b
Jackson Audretsch c
Cam Ballard p
Everett Rodriguez 2b
Liam Esch lf
It is now time to look at the events of this game through the aging eyes of a Bleacher Denizen who was never able to amount to much in baseball. Alas, he showed signs of being a power pitcher, but everything was ruined when the baseball powers that be refused to allow him to use his shoulder cannon to hurl his pitches to the plate.
Cam Ballard retired the Saranac leadoff batter in the top of the first inning on a grounder to third base. Sam Sterzick was safe on an overthrow. Kudos to Wolfpack Catcher Jackson Audretsch for hustling down the line to back up the play. Because of his alertness and hustle, Sam Sterzick had to stay on first base. Laingsburg First Baseman Emilio Garcia made an excellent grab of a pickoff throw to prevent an error and to keep Sam Sterzick at first base.
Despite a great diving effort by Laingsburg Center Fielder Dom Garcia, Warren Hills drive fell in for a double. Sam Sterzick advanced to third base on the play. Sam Sterzick scored on an RBI groundout to first base by Grady Proctor. Warren Hill got to third base and scored a second run for Saranac when there was an overthrow to the catcher.
Max Olsen singled to right field. Cody Whipple singled to right center field and Max Olsen took third base. Cam Ballard struck out the next Red Hawk batter to end the first inning.
Saranac scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Dom Garcia walked to lead off the bottom of the first inning for Laingsburg. Saranac Catcher Logan Haller made a fine throw to second base to catch the runner stealing. Saranac Pitcher Warren Hill retired the next Wolfpack hitter on a fly to the shortstop. Ty Randall grounded a single up the middle and took second base on a wild pitch. Elliott Wilsey singled to left field to drive Ty Randall home. Elliott Wilsey took second base on a throwing error on a pickoff. Warren Hill got Laingsburg’s final out of the first inning on a grounder to the first baseman.
Laingsburg scored one run in the bottom of the first inning to shave the Saranac lead to 2-1.
Cam Ballard retired the first two Saranac hitters in the top of the second inning on ground outs to the shortstop. Logan Haller singled to centerfield and went to second base when Sam Sterzick walked. Logan Haller went to third base and Sam Sterzick to second base on a wild pitch. Cam Ballard struck out the next Red Hawk batter to end the inning.
Jackson Audretsch beat out an infield single to lead off the bottom of the second inning for Laingsburg. Warren Hill retired the next Wolfpack hitter on a fly to centerfield. Jackson Audretsch advanced to second base on a passed ball and went to third base on a single to right field by Everett Rodriguez. Everett Rodriguez advanced to second base when Saranac threw to home plate to prevent a run from scoring. Jackson Audretsch scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Liam Esch. Dom Garcia walked. Warren Hill struck out the next Laingsburg hitter to hold the Wolfpack to one run for the inning.
Laingsburg scored one run in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game at 2-2.
Grady Proctor singled up the middle to lead off the top of the third inning for Saranac. Max Olsen hit a hot liner that Laingsburg first baseman turned into a double play. Laingsburg Center Fielder made a nice running catch of a drive off the bat of Cody Whipple to end the inning.
Ty Randall singled to left field to lead off the bottom of the third inning for Laingsburg. Elliott Wilsey singled to left field and Ty Randall advanced to second base. Ty Randall went to third base and Elliott Wilsey to second base on a wild pitch. R.J. Garcia walked to load the bases for the Wolfpack. Ty Randall scored on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Audretsch to give Laingsburg the lead; Elliott Wilsey took third base on the play.
Warren Hill struck out the next Wolfpack batter. Everett Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to reload the bases. Elliott Wilsey and R.J. Garcia scored as Everett Rodriguez went to third base when Liam Esch was safe at first base on an error. Liam Esch stole second base. Dom Garcia singled to drive in Everett Rodriguez and Liam Esch. When Dom Garcia tried to go to second base on a throw to home plate, Saranac Catcher Logan Haller made a fine throw to second base to get the Wolfpack’s third out.
Laingsburg scored five runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 7-2 lead.
Cam Ballard retired the three Saranac hitters in the top of the fourth inning on a grounder to shortstop, a strikeout and a grounder to third base.
Emilio Garcia walked to lead off the bottom of the fourth inning for Laingsburg. Emilio Garcia advanced to third base when Ty Randall was safe at second base on an error. Elliott Wilsey doubled to right field to drive in Emilio Garcia and Ty Randall. Elliott Wilsey went to third base on a groundout to shortstop by R.J. Garcia. Warren Hill retired the next two Laingsburg hitters on popups to first base and to second base.
Laingsburg scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to stretch its lead to 9-2.
Logan Haller singled to center field to lead off the top of the fifth inning for Saranac. He was out at second base and Sam Sterzick was safe at first base on a fielder’s choice grounder to the pitcher. Wolfpack Catcher Jackson Audretsch made a fine throw to second base, but Sam Sterzick beat it and stole the base. Warren Hill walked. Cam Ballard got the final two outs of the inning on a liner to second base and a fly to first base.
Everett Rodriguez was safe at second base on an error to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning for Laingsburg. Liam Esch walked. Evan Oosterhouse came in to pitch for Saranac as Warren Hill moved to first base.
Dom Garcia beat out a bunt single; Saranac made an overthrow on the play, so Everett Rodriguez scored as Liam Esch took third base and Dom Garcia went to second base. Emilio Garcia walked. Ty Randall doubled to left field to drive in Liam Esch and Dom Garcia to give Laingsburg a 15-5 lead.
The game ended here because of the mercy rule.
Logan Haller had two singles for Saranac. Warren Hill had a double. Grady Proctor had a single and one RBI.
Elliott Wilsey had a double, two singles and three RBI for Laingsburg. Ty Randall had a double, two singles and two RBI. Dom Garcia had two singles and two RBI. Jackson Audretsch had a single and one RBI. Everett Rodriguez had a single. Liam Esch had one RBI.
Cam Ballard pitched a complete game for Laingsburg. In five innings, he struck out one batter and did not give up any earned runs.
Here is the play by play of Game 2. https://thebleacherdenizen.com/2024/04/19/saranac-at-laingsburg-second-game-of-baseball-doubleheader-the-bleacher-denizen-april-18-2024-by-chuck-krafft/